Will It Ever Be Enough? Year One
by WolfishMoon
Summary: Muggleborn Olive Higgins was under informed of the harsh prejudice she would be thrust into when she received her letter in the summer of 1990. But just from what she heard on the train and read in 'Hogwarts: A History,' she knew there was cause to be afraid when the sorting hat shouted "Slytherin!" Oh when will it ever be enough? Year One of Eight.
1. Chapter 1

**Heya everyone! This is Wolfie with a new story. Yeah, I know. But I have a rather demanding task master for this one. Lets all give a round of applause to the amazing *drum roll* PAPRIKA-CHAN! Yes, she writes on here too. Paprika-chan is her author name. I will usually refer to her as Pepper, or Pepper-chan, or Pepper-san. Pepper is our Japanese sensei's nickname for her. Which is why her nom de plume is Paprika-chan. She just decided to change up Sensei's nickname. For a while, Sensei was calling me "The source of all calamity desu yo!" Anyway, I digress. The point is, go read Paprika-chan (I personally call her Pepper due to a teacher's particular... habits) stuff, her two stories are respectively for ****Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood****and ****Avatar: The Last Airbender****. Both are pretty damn good. (Pepper, I know you're reading this, so thank me at lunch tomorrow for this free advertising.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I only this plot line, as this book (I do plan on writing eight) takes place the year before Harry comes to Hogwarts, I needed to make up an entire plot myself, and the rather numerous O.C.s. (What? Olive starts Hogwarts the year before Harry so I needed to make up almost all of her year mates! And the DADA professor).**

* * *

Chapter One

Olivia Higgins considered herself fairly ordinary. Admittedly, she was more bookish than most of the kids in her school, and more 'popular' than most of the bookish kids in her school- but really she only had the usually easily manipulated people in her school to thank for that.

In fact it was only the bookish kids who really disliked her, because they could see past the manipulative tactics she used. It had gotten to the point that the bookish kids called Olivia- who preferred to be called Olive anyway- and her group the Olivia Cult, and she called the bookish kids the Bookworm Army. There was long standing competition and dislike between the two groups, but there wasn't much she could do about that. Short of time travel, that is. It also irked the bookish kids that Olive was ambitious, and maintained better grades than all of the Bookworms, excluding possibly the King Bookworm.

They also disliked that great luck seemed to follow her around. For example, whenever she forgot to do her homework the teacher would conveniently forget to collect it. Once, when she was being chased by the a bunch of Bookworm Pawns, with a rook and a bishop thrown in too, a tree fell over between them, effectively halting their movements. And another time, when she was really very angry, a Bookworm Pawn's book caught flame. The school nearly burnt down, and only the King Bookworm, Alex Gillman and the previously mentioned Bookworm Pawn were the only ones who were even slightly injured. School was also closed for several weeks, much to Olive's delight.

Despite this all, Olive was immensely surprised to find, as she was sorting recently purchased notebooks for the upcoming school year, an owl pecking at her window. Curious, she opened the window and watched warily as the owl hopped onto her windowsill, then flew to her neatly kept desk.

She had never seen an owl before, even at night, and the speculative part of her nature wanted to know what the large brown bird was doing in her room during the day. She got her answer when the owl stuck out it's leg, displaying the letter tied there. The address was peculiarly written, showing not only her name and address, but also which room of the house was hers.

_Ms. O. Higgins__  
__Number 42 Adams Street__  
__The largest bedroom_

Olivia rolled her eyes and flipped the over envelope snorting at the fancy seal. Who wrote letters like this? She tore it open and unfolded the two thick pieces of paper. Is this... parchment? The green ink was so elegantly scrawled on the paper that for a moment, Olivia just stared at the lettering, not reading at all. And here she thought her own handwriting was nice! Shaking out of her reverie she began to read.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL__  
__of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY___

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore__  
__(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,__  
__Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)___

_Dear Ms Higgins,___

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.__  
__Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.___

_Yours sincerely,___

_Minerva McGonagall__  
__Deputy Headmistress_

Olivia found that she couldn't stop laughing. What a stupid prank! With a smile she looked at the next page.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL__  
__of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY___

_UNIFORM__  
__First-year students will require:__  
__ sets of plain work robes (black)__  
__ plain pointed hat (black) for day wear__  
__ pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)__  
__ winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)__  
__Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.___

_COURSE BOOKS__  
__All students should have a copy of each of the following:___

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)__  
__by Miranda Goshawk__  
__A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot__  
__Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling__  
__A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch__  
__One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi__  
__by Phyllida Spore__  
__Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger__  
__Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander _

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble___

_OTHER EQUIPMENT__  
__1 wand__  
__1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)__  
__1 set glass or crystal phials__  
__1 telescope__  
__1 set brass scales___

_Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.___

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS__  
_  
This was really detailed, for a prank. Only one person could've done it.  
Alex Gillman. Stifling a snarl, Olive slammed from her house. He lived right across the street, much to Olive's endless irritation. She angrily pushed on the door bell, and nearly snarled again. Darn it, the stupid owl was following her! An irritated looking Alex open the door. His eyebrows raised in surprise.  
"Olivia, what are you doing here?"  
"I've told you a thousand times, it's Olive, darn it,"  
"Your name is 'Olivia Darnit"? I thought it was Higgins,"  
"Shut up, Gillman. Anyway, you know exactly why I'm here,"  
He snorted, "Erm... thinking... thinking... no idea," Olive gestured to the owl, and waved the letter in his face.  
"No one else could think up a prank this intricate, Gillman," he looked genuinely confused, and Olive got all the more angry. It was at that time that a boy Olive had never seen before decided to make himself visible.  
"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend, lil' cuz,"  
"She's not my girlfriend," Alex said at the same time Olive snorted a laugh,  
"We aren't dating," she said.  
"Right," the older boy replied, "Now what's all this fuss about? Cozy up to big brother Lee, and spill. Some nice unspent sexual tension?"  
"We're eleven, Lee. There is no 'sexual tension' to be 'unspent,' and you're my cousin, not my brother." Lee waved a dismissive hand.  
Olive twitched.  
"I didn't know you had a cousin, King Bookworm,"  
"You never asked, Cult Queen," Olive crossed her arms.  
"Why is he here, anyway?"  
"His mum and mine are sisters. The Jordans always visit this time of year, why?"  
"Just curious. I've never seen him before," Lee looked at Olive, then to Alex.  
"Why haven't you invited the lady inside, cuz?"  
"She came here to yell at me. Why would I invite her inside?"  
"Inviting her in for some cold pumpkin juice might quell her anger. You know nothing about women, Alex. I am very disappointed in you,"  
"And what would you know on the subject, being all of twelve?!"  
"Evidently much more than you. Now, milady, why don't you come in and have a nice glass of pumpkin juice?"  
"That... sounds... ridiculous," Olive said, sounding on the verge of saying that it sounded nice.  
"Who the hell drinks pumpkin juice, anyway?" Alex mumbled crossly.  
"Anyway, I'm here to yell at him," Olive said to Lee, "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ABOUT, GILLMAN?!" She waved the letter in his face. He got a panicky look on his face.  
"I swear I've never seen that before!" Gillman insisted. Olive glared as Lee swiped the paper from her hands. Lee laughed as he read the header.  
"Muggle-born then. Ha!"  
Alex and Olive sent him confused looks.  
"Are you the one who sent this?" Olive asked. Lee laughed harder.  
"Naw. Well. Go on home," he handed her the papers, "Hope to see you in Gryffindor, then!" Lee Jordan then promptly slammed the door in Olive's face. Alex managed to squeeze out onto the porch before he did.  
"Sorry 'bout him," Alex shuffled his feet, "According to my mum, his mum went to this weird private school, n' that everyone who goes there ends up a complete nut job. Lee goes there too. I mean, my mum loves my aunt, but my aunt's family and friends are a bit..."  
"Crazy," Olive finished.  
"Yeah..."  
"Well, there are nuts in every family," Olive said dismissively, "See you around, Gillman. I'm gonna beat you next year!"  
"Yeah, riight. Even in History?"  
"Especially in History," Olive nodded.  
"See you around, Higgins," Olive's eyebrows shot into her hair.

"You actually called me Higgins?"

"Oh oops. Sorry. Bye, Olivia," Olive shook her head and crossed the street.  
The door was open. Odd, Olive thought that she'd shut it. Suddenly hesitant, Olive entered the house quietly, a sense of foreboding filling her lungs instead of oxygen.  
"Ah, here comes your daughter now. Excellent timing, my dear. We were just discussing your education,"  
Olive's parents looked somewhat traumatized. It seemed to Olive that the peculiar woman who sat on an unfamiliar chair justified Mr. and Mrs. Higgins' reactions.

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_**Word Count: 1442**_**... so... REVIEW? Hey look, 1442 rhymes with review, it must be a sign that you are destined to leave one! Also, it so happens that 42 is my favorite number (for those of you who understand why, I applaud you) and the written out version is at 42 pages (yes, I doodled 'LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING, and DON'T PANIC all over said forty-second page... and a mouse). I'd also really love to hear your feedback. Love it, hate it, I just want to hear what you think about it. My personal improvement as a writer is very important to me, so tell me what you think! **


	2. Darn You McGonagall!

_**Aaaand... here's chapter two! I promised myself that I wouldn't post chapter one until I had 10 chapters written out but here I am posting chapter two at the beginning of seven. Sigh. Oh well. Again, thanks to the lovely Pepper (Paprika-chan), even though she hasn't even read chapter two yet. Anyway, she motivates me by doing awesome at her fanfictions. I MUST UPSTAGE HER! (JK)**_

_**Disclaimer: I am often JK (just kidding) But I am never JK**_**R****_ (J. K. Rowling) So do I own Harry Potter? (The right answer is 'never')._**

Chapter Two

"Who are you?" Olive asked, nervously picking at the hem of her skirt.  
"Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. I assume the letter clenched in your fist is the one I sent you earlier?"  
Olive nodded after a moment's hesitation.  
"So you're the person behind that stupid prank?"  
"I assure you, it is no prank,"  
"Riight,"  
"Truly. As a demonstration to your parents, I conjured this chair. You've never seen it before, correct?"

"You could have brought it with you," Olive said warily. The stern looking woman stood and sighed. She pulled out an ornately carved stick from her long emerald robes and waved it casually. The chair disappeared and Olive found herself gripping the edge of the wooden buffet.

"Who are you?"

"I told you before. I am Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall, and I teach Transfiguration," The woman waved her stick- some sort of magic wand?- again and the chair reappeared. McGonagall sat and Olive plopped down on the gray loveseat across from the floral patterned couch in which her parents huddled.

"So what do you want, Professor?" she spat resentfully.

"Again, as I said before, to discuss your education,"

"Right. The letter," Olive scoffed.

"What letter, Olive?" Olive's mother asked, her voice soft and timid. Olive handed her the rumpled parchment and gestured at the owl that was perched atop her head. Her parents blinked noticing the usually nocturnal bird for the first time. Olive didn't really blame them for not noticing. The stately woman seemed to take up the entirety of their spacious living room.

"So. As stated by the letter, you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Therefore, you should be able to deduce that you are a witch,"

"This... is... impossible," Olive said slowly.

"You saw my previous demonstration,"

"Well, yes, but I'm fairly certain that I'm an ordinary human,"

"Indeed you are, simply a human with extraordinary capabilities," Olive opened her mouth to respond, but the Professor spoke again, "Things have happened to you, things you've been unable to explain, correct?" Olive thought back to the day that a book had caught on fire. She nodded reluctantly.

"Exactly. You caused those incidences. It's a phenomenon called accidental magic. If you don't learn to control your abilities, this will only continue to happen," Olive sighed.

"Okay, for arguments sake, let's say I'm a witch. What now?"

"You attend Hogwarts."

"Of course. How could I forget?" Olive said sarcastically.

"Wait... I am so confused right now," Olive's dad murmured and Olive rounded on him,

"Did you know about this?!"

"Of course not!" Her parents said in an offended unison.

"Oh sure, you didn't know your daughter was a freak! This sort of thing sounds genetic," Olive accused. Her father's mouth flapped in a shocked inability to speak.

"Well, usually if the parents are wizards, the offspring will be as well, but there are muggleborn witches and wizards," McGonagall cut in.

"Muggleborn?" Olive's mother asked.

"Muggle is our word for the non-magical community. The two of you are muggles. Olive is muggleborn," McGonagall said, "I myself am muggleborn,"

"Is that why they send you?"

"Partly," the stern witch smiled. Olive gave a nervous attempt at a smile in return.

"Do we get any say in this?" Olive's father asked.

"Well, yes. Of course, but it is strongly recommended that you let her go. If not, she won't learn to control her magic, and there have been rather disastrously tragic consequences of this in the past," Olive's dad clutched her mom's hand for support.

"We ought to let her go, Phil,"

"Really, Nancy?"

"From what Professor McGonagall is saying, it would be better for our daughter to be a trained witch, than an untrained witch,"

"I guess so," Phil said before turning to the stately professor, "Is the school close enough for transportation to be easy?"

"I'm afraid not," McGonagall said, "It's a boarding school. In Scotland, but it's the only school in the UK,"

"Oh,"

"Yes, _oh_," the teacher said, "Well, we'd better be going,"  
"Going where?" Phil asked.

"To purchase her school supplies. I need to do this with all the muggleborn students, and I'd prefer to finish this today," Nancy looked at the list.

"Where do we get all this stuff?"

"Diagon Alley in London," McGonagall extended her arm, "Now, grab on,"

"What are you gonna do?" Phil asked warily, putting a hand on the teacher's elbow.

"I'm going to apparate," before anyone could ask anymore questions, Olive found herself unable to breathe in the sudden and oppressive darkness. Her lungs felt like they were collapsing,

_I can't believe we fell for this ploy_, she thought bitterly, certain that she was dying. But she didn't die, instead Olive found herself a moment later in a dimly lit pub. Olive's parents fell to their knees. Olive, however, didn't. She looked at Professor McGonagall, wondering if the emerald clad teacher was enjoying herself. She caught her eye, and McGonagall raised an eyebrow, before looking away. How did she-?

"If you're wondering how Professor McGonagall knew what you were thinking, you made your suspicions very obvious," A young girl with a long ponytail stepped from the counter. She couldn't have been more than nine.

"And what business is it of yours,"

"None whatsoever," The girl smiled and extended a hand while brushing an errant strand of strawberry blond hair behind her ear, "Horatio Switch, second year Ravenclaw,"

Olive sputtered... this nine year old girl's name was _Horatio_?! "I'm judging by your confusion that McGonagall hasn't explained the Hogwarts houses to you yet?"

"Your name is Horatio?" Olive interrupted rudely. Horatio sighed.

"I'm a guy. And twelve. I'm in my second year at Hogwarts, Ravenclaw house,"

"Oh... sorry," Olive muttered, even though she wasn't, really. Horatio wasn't even androgynous. He was simply feminine.

"Well, I have to go," Horatio said, "My parents want something," Sure enough, a strawberry blonde woman- to whom Horatio looked remarkably similar- was beckoning. Olive flashed a smile and extended a hand, knowing that it couldn't hurt to befriend some of the school's older students.

"Before you go, I'm Olive Higgins," Horatio smiled and the two shook.

"Bye, see you at school, you're a first year, correct?" Olive nodded and turned back to her parents who were sitting at a table and sipping at some sort of golden liquid. She looked at McGonagall questioningly.

"It's called butterbeer and has a very low alcohol content. Even kids drink it, there is, in fact, one for you on the table, some think it helps with the after affects of apparition,"

"Thanks," Olive said before picking up the glass. She took a sip and found herself enjoying it immensely. It also quickly killed the lingering dizziness she felt from the apparition. Soon, everyone was standing from their chairs and McGonagall led them to a... brick wall. _Okay, what?_ Olive thought, but soon her thoughts were halted by the elderly professor. She had only tapped a brick, and any objections in Olive's mouth were effectively quelled.

_**Word Count: 1232... awww. It isn't 42 this time :,( Oh well. Anyway, 32 still rhymes with review, so why don't you? Go on! You know you want to! **_


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